Right And Left Handedness In Humans IELTS Reading Answers

The Reading Module of the IELTS can be the top-scoring category with diligent practice. To achieve the best results in this section, you must understand how to approach and answer the different Question types in the Reading Module. By solving and reviewing Sample Reading Questions from past IELTS papers, you can ensure that your Reading skills are up to the mark.

The Academic passage, Right And Left Handedness In Humans, is a reading passage that appeared in an IELTS Test. Try to find the answers to get an idea of the difficulty level of the passages in the actual reading test.

The question types found in this passage are:

• Matching Features (Q. 1-7)
• Table/ Note completion (Q. 8-10)
• Multiple-choice questions (11-12)

Do you want to revise the steps to solve the Matching Features questions for IELTS Academic Reading? Check out IELTS Reading Matching Features Questions! 

Reading Passage 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-12, which are based on the Reading Passage below.

Right and Left-Handedness in Humans

Why do humans, virtually alone among all animal species, display a distinct left or right-handedness? Not even our closest relatives among the apes possess such decided lateral asymmetry, as psychologists call it. Yet about 90 per cent of every human population that has ever lived appears to have been right-handed. Professor Bryan Turner at Deakin University has studied the research literature on left-handedness and found that handedness goes with sidedness. So nine out of ten people are right-handed and eight are right-footed. He noted that this distinctive asymmetry in the human population is itself systematic. “Humans think in categories: black and white, up and down, left and right. It” ‘s a system of signs that enables us to categorise phenomena that are essentially ambiguous.’

Research has shown that there is a genetic or inherited element to handedness. But while left-handedness tends to run in families, neither left nor right-handers will automatically produce offspring with the same handedness; in fact, about 6 per cent of children with two right-handed parents will be left-handed. However, among two left-handed parents, perhaps 40 per cent of the children will also be left-handed. With one right and one left-handed parent, 15 to 20 per cent of the offspring will be left-handed. Even among identical twins who have exactly the same genes, one in six pairs will differ in their handedness.

What then makes people left-handed if it is not simply genetic? Other factors must be at work and researchers have turned to the brain for clues. In the 1860s the French surgeon and anthropologist, Dr Paul Broca, made the remarkable finding that patients who had lost their powers of speech as a result of a stroke (a blood clot in the brain) had paralysis of the right half of their body. He noted that since the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right half of the body, and vice versa, the brain damage must have been in the brain’s left hemisphere. Psychologists now believe that among right-handed people, probably 95 per cent have their language centre in the left hemisphere, while 5 per cent have right-sided language. Left-handers, however, do not show the reverse pattern but instead, a majority also have their language in the left hemisphere. Some 30 per cent have right hemisphere language.

Dr Brinkman, a brain researcher at the Australian National University in Canberra, has suggested that the evolution of speech went with right-handed preference. According to Brinkman, as the brain evolved, one side became specialised for fine control of movement (necessary for producing speech) and along with this evolution came right-hand preference. According to Brinkman, most left-handers have left-hemisphere dominance but also some capacity in the right hemisphere. She has observed that if a left-handed person is brain-damaged in the left hemisphere, the recovery of speech is quite often better and this is explained by the fact that left-handers have a more bilateral speech function.

In her studies of macaque monkeys, Brinkman has noticed that primates (monkeys) seem to learn a hand preference from their mother in the first year of life but this could be one hand or the other. In humans, however, the specialisation in the function of the two hemispheres results in anatomical differences: areas that are involved with the production of speech are usually larger on the left side than on the right. Since monkeys have not acquired the art of speech, one would not expect to see such a variation but Brinkman claims to have discovered a trend in monkeys towards the asymmetry that is evident in the human brain.

Two American researchers, Geschwind and Galaburda, studied the brains of human embryos and discovered that the left-right asymmetry exists before birth. But as the brain develops, a number of things can affect it. Every brain is initially female in its organisation and it only becomes a male brain when the male foetus begins to secrete hormones. Geschwind and Galaburda knew that different parts of the brain mature at different rates; the right hemisphere develops first, then the left. Moreover, a girl’s brain develops somewhat faster than that of a boy. So, if something happens to the brain’s development during pregnancy, it is more likely to be affected in a male and the hemisphere more likely to be involved in the left. The brain may become less lateralised and this in turn could result in left-handedness and the development of certain superior skills that have their origins in the left hemisphere such as logic, rationality and abstraction. It should be no surprise then that among mathematicians and architects, left-handers tend to be more common and there are more left-handed males than females.

The results of this research may be some consolation to left-handers who have for centuries lived in a world designed to suit right-handed people. However, what is alarming, according to Mr. Charles Moore, a writer and journalist, is the way the word “right” reinforces its own virtue. Subliminally he says, language tells people to think that anything on the right can be trusted while anything on the left is dangerous or even sinister. We speak of lefthanded compliments and according to Moore, “it is no coincidence that lefthanded children, forced to use their right hand, often develop a stammer as they are robbed of their freedom of speech”. However, as more research is undertaken on the causes of left-handedness, attitudes towards left-handed people are gradually changing for the better. Indeed when the champion tennis player Ivan Lendl was asked what the single thing was that he would choose in order to improve his game, he said he would like to become a lefthander.

Questions 1-7

1. Dr Broca
2. Dr Brinkman
3. Geschwind and Galaburda
4. Charles Moore
5. Professor Turner

1. Human beings started to show a preference for right-handedness when they first developed language.
2. Society is prejudiced against left-handed people.
3. Boys are more likely to be left-handed.
4. After a stroke, left-handed people recover their speech more quickly than righthanded people.
5. People who suffer strokes on the left side of the brain usually lose their power of speech.
6. The two sides of the brain develop different functions before birth.
7. Asymmetry is a common feature of the human body.

Questions 8-10

Questions 11-12

12. A study of monkeys has shown that
13. monkeys are not usually right-handed.
14. monkeys display a capacity for speech.
15. monkey brains are smaller than human brains.
16. monkey brains are asymmetric.
17. According to the writer, left-handed people
18. will often develop a stammer.
19. have undergone hardship for years.
20. are untrustworthy.
21. are good tennis players.

Right and Left-Handedness in Humans Answers With Explanation

1. Answer: B

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph D points out that ‘Dr Brinkman’, a brain researcher at the Australian National University in Canberra, has suggested that ‘evolution of speech’ (first developed language) ‘went with right-handed preference’ (started to show a preference for right-handedness ). According to Brinkman, as the brain evolved, one side became specialised for fine control of movement (necessary for producing speech) and along with this evolution came right-hand preference.

Hence, the answer is B (Dr Brinkman).

2. Answer: D

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph G mentions that according to Mr. Charles Moore, a writer and journalist, the way the word “right” reinforces its own virtue. Subliminally he says, language tells people to think that anything on the right can be trusted while ‘anything on the left is dangerous or even sinister’ according to societal prejudices. Due to these social preconceptions/prejudices about the evil of being left handed, ‘left handed children’ who are ‘forced to use their right hand’, often develop a stammer as they are robbed of their freedom of speech. Hence, the answer is D (Charles Moore).

3. Answer: C

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph F informs that two American researchers, ‘Geschwind and Galaburda’, studied the brains of human embryos and discovered that the left-right asymmetry exists before birth. They found out that among mathematicians and architects, left-handers tend to be more common and there are ‘more left-handed males than females’ which proves that boys, or men are more likely to be left-handed than girls, or women. Hence, the answer is C (Geschwind and Galaburda).

4. Answer: B

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph D brings out the fact that Dr Brinkman, a brain researcher at the Australian National University in Canberra, has observed that if a ‘left-handed person is brain-damaged’ (or suffered a stroke) in the left hemisphere, the ‘recovery of speech is quite often better’ and this is explained by the fact that ‘left-handers have a more bilateral speech function’. So, due to less bilateral speech function, right-handed people take more time to recover from a stroke.

Hence, the answer is B (Dr Brinkman).

5. Answer: A

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph C states that in the 1860s the French surgeon and anthropologist, ‘Dr Paul Broca’, made the remarkable finding that ‘patients who had lost their powers of speech’ as a ‘result of a stroke’ (a blood clot in the brain) had ‘paralysis of the right half of their body’ (people suffer strokes on the left side of the brain usually lose their power of speech). He noted that since the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right half of the body, and vice versa, the brain damage must have been in the brain’s left hemisphere. Hence, the answer is A (Dr Broca).

6. Answer: C

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph F noted that two American researchers, ‘Geschwind and Galaburda’, studied the brains of human embryos and discovered that the ‘left-right asymmetry’ (two sides of the brain with different functions) ‘exists before birth’. But as the brain develops, a number of things can affect it. Hence, the answer is C (Geschwind and Galaburda).

7. Answer: E

Question Type: Matching the features

Answer Explanation: Paragraph A indicates that ‘Professor Bryan Turner’ at Deakin University has studied the research literature on left-handedness and found that handedness goes with sidedness. He noted that ‘distinctive asymmetry’ in the human population, or in the human body, is itself ‘systematic’ (common feature). Hence, the answer is E (Professor Turner).

8. Answer: 15-20%

Question Type: Table/Note completion

Answer Explanation: Paragraph B relates that with ‘one right and one left-handed parent,’ there is a chance of ‘15 to 20 per cent’ that the offspring will be left-handed. Hence, the answer is 15-20%.

9. Answer: 40%

Question Type: Table/Note completion

Answer Explanation:

Paragraph B let out the fact that research has shown that ‘among two left-handed parents’, there is a probability that ‘40 percent of the children will also be left-handed’. Hence, the answer is 40%.

10. Answer: 6%

Question Type: Table/Note completion

Answer Explanation: Paragraph B explains that research has shown that there is a genetic or inherited element to handedness. In fact, the author writes down that ‘about 6 percent of children will be left-handed’ if they have ‘two right-handed parents’.

Hence, the answer is 6%.

11. Answer: D

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer Explanation: In paragraph E, it is considered that in her ‘studies of macaque monkeys’, Brinkman has noticed that primates (monkeys) seem to learn a hand preference from their mother in the first year of life. Since monkeys have not acquired the art of speech, one would not expect to see such a variation but Brinkman claims to have discovered a ‘trend in monkeys towards the asymmetry’ that is evident in the human brain. Hence, the answer is D (monkey brains are asymmetric).

12. Answer: B

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer Explanation: Paragraph F communicates that two American researchers, Geschwind and Galaburda, studied the brains of human embryos and discovered that the left-right asymmetry exists before birth. In the last paragraph (G), the author adds that the results of the research by Geschwind and Galaburda may be ‘some consolation to left-handers’ who have for centuries ‘lived in a world designed to suit right-handed people’. From this statement, we can say that the author believes the world is biased towards right-handed people and so left-handed people have to face hardships for years. Later, in paragraph G, the views of Mr. Charles Moore, a writer and journalist, is also provided as he says that it is no coincidence that ‘left-handed children’, forced to use their right hand, often ‘develop a stammer’ as ‘they are robbed of their freedom of speech’. Hence, the answer is B (have undergone hardship for years).

Tips for Answering the Question Types in the above Reading Passage 

Let us check out some quick tips to answer the three types of questions in the ‘Right and Left-Handedness in Humans’ Reading Answers passage.

Matching Features: 

Matching Features is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of features to the correct people, places, or things in a passage.

To answer matching features questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the features first: This will give you an idea of the types of information that you are looking for in the passage.
• Read the passage quickly: This will give you a general understanding of the content of the passage.
• Match the features to the people, places, or things: As you read the passage, look for the information that matches each feature.
• Check your answers: Once you have matched all of the features, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct.

Table/Note Completion:

Table/Note completion in the IELTS Reading test is quite simple: because of the arrangement and keywords, you may often discover solutions quickly.

To answer table/note completion questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Locate the paragraph containing the keyword
• To discover the keywords quickly, use capital letters, numbers/dates, or italics.
• To discover the statement, look for synonyms or paraphrased words.
• Copy the answers exactly as they appear in the text.

Multiple Choice Questions:

You will be given a reading passage followed by several questions based on the information in the paragraph in multiple choice questions. Your task is to understand the question and compare it to the paragraph in order to select the best solution from the available possibilities.

• Before reading the passage, read the question and select the keywords. Check the keyword possibilities if the question statement is short on information.
• Then, using the keywords, read the passage to find the relevant information.
• To select the correct option, carefully read the relevant words and match them with each option.
• You will find several options with keywords that do not correspond to the information.
• Try opting for the elimination method mostly.
• Find the best option by matching the meaning rather than just the keywords.

Great work on attempting to solve the reading passage! To crack IELTS Reading in the first go, try solving more of the recent IELTS reading passages here.

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